Mr. Darragh O'Connor:

There has been an increasing amount of discussion to the effect CE courses are going to move toward the one year model. This misses the point which various members of the committee have highlighted, namely, the benefit of CE to individuals and local communities. I do not know how we are going to sustain quality community services if everyone is on one year contracts. There are underlying issues for those who are long-term unemployed which can take six to 12 months to address before those individuals can take up vocational training.

Community employment plays a key role in local communities and it really is the backbone of the community and voluntary sector. Without it and the quality training and longer-term placements it offers, there will be a detrimental impact not just on the people involved but also on the schemes and various organisations involved: Enable Ireland, Age Action Ireland, meals on wheels, the Alzheimer's Association, etc. Unless we are able to protect the social aspect of community employment, we will be much worse off. A short-term saving will possibly be made but, as a result of the choices we make in the next six to 12 months, there will be a cost to be met in 20 years' time when the services begin to crumble around us.

I thank the Chairman and members for their time.